Draftsman&#39;s reference table



Dec. 19, 1933.

H ERDER VDRAFTSIIANS REFERENCE TABLE Filed Aug. 27, 1931 INVENTOR Carl Her-dz:-

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. -19, 1933.

P ATENT OFFICE- DRAFTSMANS REFERENCE TABLE.

Carl Herder, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. 0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application August 27, 1931. Serial'No. 559,677

6 Claims. (01. 45-70) This invention relates generally to tables and I like furniture and particularly to reference tables for use in drafting rooms. An object of the invention is to provide a drafting room reference table of sturdy construction adapted to be utilized in a drafting room-as an i auxiliary to a standard drafting table. Another object of the invention is to provide a reference table having a cabinet'so sub-divided and disposed in the table that it constitutes a convenient storage space for drawings.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a reference table having a cabinet for drawings that requires a minimum of floor space when in l5 its open position.

'The foregoing and other objects may be 2 achieved by the particular embodiment of the invention described in the following portion of the specificationv and shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a table embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the table with one cabinet for'drawings in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in plan and partly in 3Q horizontal section, of the table taken on the plane represented by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig 4 is an enlarged view in cross section of a pOItiuD of the table taken on the plane represented by the line 4-4' of Fig. 3 and showing the details of the hinge.

The table shown comprises, in general, a rectangular table top 1 supported in the usual manner at its four corners by legs 2. The space heneath the table top 1 is enclosed by end panels 3 and ewhich depend from the top 1 to the midportions of the legs 2 and are attached at their respective ends to the adjacent legs.- Side panels 5 of substantially equal depth complete the enclosure on the sides of the tableand are likewise attached at their ends to the table legs.

As best shown in Fig. l, two drawers 6 of, standard construction are provided in each side of the table just beneath the top and slidably mounted to move through openings 7 inthe side panels 5.

Beneath the drawers 6 there is provided on each side of the table a special cabinet 8 particularly adapted to receive for storage rolled drawings and blue prints or rolls of paper-or other materials ordinarily used in a drafting room.

In a drafting room of the type in' which the table embodying the invention is used, the drafting tables are placedin a row, preferably at the outer side of the room, to take advantage of the light from the windows, and the draftsmen sit or stand between adjacent drafting tables. In order that the draftsmen-may have ready access to drawings and supplies and a convenient place to lay drawings and other papers' for reference, one of the reference tables embodying the in- 66 vention is placed beside each drafting table, preferably in alignment therewith and at the inner side of the room with the right-hand edge of the table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, adjacent the drafting table. The reference tables thus form a 70 second line of tables at the inner side of the line formed by the drafting tables with a passageway between adjacent tables.

The special cabinets 8 in each reference'table are provided with a convenient number of longie tudinally disposed compartments -9 which are openat the end of the cabinet nearest to the draftsman to enable him to insert or withdraw rolled drawings conveniently. I

As shown in Fig. 3, the compartments 9 in the 86 cabinets 8 are defined by vertical partitions 10 and are divided horizontally into two tiers by a shelf 11, the end of which is set back from the end of the cabinet. The top tier of the compartments 9 is closed by a top panel 12 that constitutes the top of the cabinet 8, and that is in turn set back from the edge of the shelf 11 in such manner that the outer ends of each compartment 9 are exposed from the top to permit the draftsman to readily grasp rolls of drawings 96 therein.

As shown in. the upper portion of Fig. 3, the open ends of the compartments 9 are normally disposed within the enclosure beneath the table top directly back of the end panel 4 in such position that they are not accessible. To permit the open ends of the compartments 9 to be moved from behind the end panel 4 to a position conveniently accessible to the draftsman, each cabinet 8 is pivoted in the corresponding side panel 5 100 at its forward corner near the end panel 3 in such manner that the end of the cabinet adjacent the end panel 4 may be readily swung outwards, by means of a suitable handle 13, to such position that all of the compartments 9 are accessible and face toward the draftsman at his working position. The outward movement of the cabinet 8 is limited by a stop 14 on the top panel l2that engages the inner surface of the side panel 5 after the cabinet has moved a sufficient distance to expose all of the compartments 9. A wear plate 15 is provided on the bottom of the cabinet 8 in sliding engagement with a wear plate 16 on the side panel 5.

The pivotal connection between the cabinet 8 and the side panel 5 may conveniently be made by placing the cabinet 8 temporarily in its normal closed position beneath the table top and then drilling a hole 17 upwardly through the lower portion of the side panel 5, the corner of the cabinet 8, and into the upper portion of theside panel 5, as shown in Fig. 4. The cabinet 8 may then be removed and suitable journal bearings or bushings 18 fitted into each end of the hole 17 therethrough. A similar bushing 19 may then be fitted in the hole 1'7 in the bottom portion of the side panel 5 and a special bushing 20' having a screw threaded interior may be fitted into the hole in the upper portion of the side panel 5. g

The cabinet 8'may then be placed again in its operative position with a spacing washer 21 between its lower bushing and the bushing 19 in the lower portion of the side panel 5. With the bushings 18, 19, and 20 and the washer 21 disposed m alignment, the pivotal connection is made by inserting a journal pin 22, having screw threads at its upper end, upwardly through the hole 17 and the aligned bushings and turning its threaded end into the threaded bushing 20 by a suitable tool, for example a screw driver that may be engaged with the slot 23 at the lower end of the pin.

The open end of the cabinet 8 adjacent to the end panel 4 is formed to the contour of an arc struck with the hinge pin 22 as a center in order that it mayswing past the table leg 2 when the cabinet is moved into or out of the space provided for it back of-the side panel 5.

Ordinarily, each draftsman uses the drawers 6 and cabinet 8 at one side of one table and the drawers and cabinet at the adjacent side of the next table. In this manner supplies and drawings are quickly available to the draftsman working in the space between the two drafting boards which are aligned with the two reference tables, the drawers of which contain the materials.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the various terms utilized in the description thereof are for the purpose of description only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A table for drawings comprising legs, a table top mounted on the legs, end panels at each end thereof, a cabinet disposed beneath the table top having longitudinally disposed open ended compartments of a length substantially that of the table top for receiving rolled drawings, the open ends of the compartments being normally back of one of the end panels, and a vertically disposed hinge pin connecting the cabinet to the table in such manner that one end thereof may be swung outwardly to permit access to the drawing compartments.

2. A draftsman 's reference table comprising four legs, a body portion supported on the four legs, a table top on the body portion, sliding drawers in each side of the body portion beneath the table top, a cabinet having compartments of a length substantially that of the table top for rolled drawings in each side of the body portion beneath the drawers, and a hinge pivotally connecting one outer corner of each cabinet in one vertical face of the body portion for permitting the other outer corner of the cabinet to be swung outwardly to gain access to the cabinet, whereupon drawings may be inserted endwise into the compartments.

3. A reference table comprising a rectangular table top, legs supporting the top at its corners, end panels beneath the top carried by the legs at each end of the table, side panels carried by the legs at each side of the table having openings, drawers slidably mounted beneath the table top through some of the openings, a cabinet having longitudinally disposed compartments,

open at one' end for rolled drawings disposed beneath the drawers at each side of the table in openings of the side panels with the open ends of the compartments normally back of one end panel, and a vertically disposed pivot pin secured in each side panel near the other end panel and journalled in one corner of the corresponding cabinet, whereby the other outer corner of the cabinet may be drawn outwards to permit access to the open ends of the compartments.

4. A draftsmans reference table comprising a frame, a table top mounted on the frame, and a cabinet having a plurality of longitudinal compartments open at one end p tally mounted in the frame to swing in a', horizontal plane, said compartments having a length substantially the same as the table top.

5. A draftsmans reference table comprising a table top, a frame having openings therein and supporting the table top, a cabinet having a plurality of compartments of substantially the same length as the table top extending longitudinally thereof and open at one end pivotally mounted in the frame to, swing in a horizontal plane into one of said openings, the open end of the cabinet being curved to conform substantially to an arc of a circle having the pivot point as center to facilitate the swinging of the cabinet into and out of the frame, a panel provided on the frame behind which the open end of the cabinet may be swung, and means provided on the front of the cabinet for closing the opening when the cabinet has been swung into said opening to give the table a finished appearance.

6. A reference table comprising a table top, a frame supporting the top, a cabinet for receiving drawing rolls and the like and having a plurality of compartments extending longitudinally thereof and open at one end, said cabinet being pivotally mounted in the frame to swing in a horizontal plane and extending longitudinally of the partments.

CARL HERDER. 

